The best and the worst of Bolton Council were on display at the Council meeting this week.

The best was honouring between them nearly 100 years of service to the town from three former councillors being conferred as Aldermen of the Borough.

The worst was the Tory Council Leader denying a Labour motion on the Climate Change Emergency be allowed to be brought forward to be debated that night.

There had been agreement reached by other party leaders to ensure a discussion could be held that night so that Bolton Council could begin to develop policies that would mean working towards becoming carbon neutral like many other GM councils have already agreed.

Many members of the public really concerned about Climate Change had turned up and patiently waited to listen to the debate only to hear the Tories filibuster, talking out our attempt to get it heard.

An offer at the 11th hour to have another session was a sop from the Tories when they realised the strength of feeling on the subject and their mistake in trying to stifle the issue.

Their efforts to divert attention from their obvious reluctance to discuss Climate Change in public was lamentable.

However the public present soon grasped the situation and shouted ‘Shame’ at the Tories for denying the request that evening for which they had waited nearly four hours to hear.

Ironically transparency and openness is the mantra of the new Conservative administration along with their new found Tory supporters in the other parties the Lib Dems/UKIP/Horwich & Blackrod First/Farnworth & Kearsley First who put them in power.

However the mask slipped last Wednesday night as the charade unfolded.

No evidence of transparency there just Tory intransigence.

The public weren’t fooled and further Tory attempts to placate themselves will be treated with much scepticism.

Regards

Cllr Linda Thomas

Leader Labour Group

Bolton MBC